fic: Back Home [Pt.6]
Jun. 14th, 2008 06:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
renisanzTITLE: Back Home – Pt. 6
AUTHOR: renisanz
SUMMARY: Settling down won't be easy for either of them. A sequel to “Making Up the Past.” Ronon/Keller
RATING: PG-13
WORDS: 1.273
DISCLAIMER: I don't own 'em, but they're fun to play.
NOTES: Surprisingly, no spoilers in this chapter. Although, it does help it you've seen “The Return, Pt. 1” and “Sunday” for reference of Sheppard's quarters and Ronon and John hanging out there.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
AUTHOR: renisanz
SUMMARY: Settling down won't be easy for either of them. A sequel to “Making Up the Past.” Ronon/Keller
RATING: PG-13
WORDS: 1.273
DISCLAIMER: I don't own 'em, but they're fun to play.
NOTES: Surprisingly, no spoilers in this chapter. Although, it does help it you've seen “The Return, Pt. 1” and “Sunday” for reference of Sheppard's quarters and Ronon and John hanging out there.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Back Home - Pt. 5
“Hey, John,” Ronon peaked his head into John Sheppard's open doorway to see the man reclined on his bed with one leg hanging off the side of the mattress, his foot touching the floor. He wore a set of headphones and seemed to be very engaged in whatever he was reading in a book called—Ronon squinted to read the Earth language written across the portrait of a very attractive woman wearing a very revealing, form-fitting outfit—F H M.
He waited for Sheppard to look up before asking, “You got a minute?”
Dark brows lifted over curious green eyes as John sat up straighter on the bed. “Sure. I was just reading up on, uh. . .” John glanced back to the pages of the magazine before laying on his bedside table, “current events.”
Ronon raised a dubious eyebrow at John, moving from his spot in the doorway into the room, settling into a chair across from the bed.
“So,” John grunted a bit as he sat up fully, swing his other leg onto the floor as he came to face Ronon. “What's on your mind, big guy?”
Damn. This was gonna be hard. Ronon had actually gone over what he was going to say many times in his mind (too few, it seemed now), but now that he was sitting here in front of his comrade and friend, green eyes looking expectantly into his face, he felt suddenly, inexplicably anxious. Nervous.
“I'm going to earth with Teyla and Jennifer tomorrow.” He figured it best to start with something simple.
Sheppard merely nodded. “Yeah, I heard. Your interview's not for a few more days. You planning on doing some sightseeing?” Sheppard looked away now, pulling a bag of Bugles from behind him.
“Something like that,” Ronon responded, as he eyed the back of snacks. John held the open end of the bag out to Ronon, who proceed to take a handful. “Thanks,” he mumbled around a mouthful of salty goodness. Earth foods were awesome.
“Yeah. I don't know why I never remember not to offer you food that I actually want to have some of left over for myself,” Sheppard stated, looking regretfully into the nearly empty bag.
Ronon smirked at his friend. Though he loved to raid John's snack rations, that wasn't the purpose of this particular visit. “I'm going home with Jennifer to meet her father.”
“S'that right?” Sheppard eyebrows lifted and the tone of his voice feigned amusement, but his eyes betrayed no genuine surprise.
“Yeah,” Ronon answered. He hated asking for advice. Ronon acknowledged that John had been right about the importance of taking time to get to know a woman and find out what she liked. They had just had different ideas about appropriate ways to go about it. In the end, Ronon was glad that his series of non-accidental injuries resulting in trips the infirmary for no less than stitches had proved fruitful in the end. John, however, still thought he was crazy.
“Meeting the father's a big step. I guess you guys are pretty serious after all.”
“I told you we were,” Ronon countered, leaning forward in his chair.
“Yeah, you did. But, ya know, sometimes these things don't work out,” John shrugged. Ronon was rather certain that John was referring to whatever had happened to cause the breakup of his marriage.
Nevertheless, Ronon understood what John meant. He and Jennifer were from different worlds, literally and figuratively. She was a healer. He was a trained killer. It was her job to mend the ones that people like him had broken. But in her, he had found something better in himself. She accepted him for who he was, yet made him want to be more for her, if only because it was what she deserved.
“Well, it's working out,” Ronon said, finally.
“That's good to hear. I'm really happy for you, Ronon.”
Ronon couldn't help but smile at John's words. “Thanks.”
“So. . . is that all you wanted to tell me?”
“No.” Ronon looked down at his hands. He looked up into John's patient gaze. “I wanted to know about your bonding rituals on Earth.”
“'Bonding rituals'? Whoah. . . you're talking about marriage, right?” John was obviously taken off guard as he realized what Ronon was asking for him to explain.
Ronon nodded.
“Well, they vary. . . I mean. . . “ Sheppard looked away as if in concentration. Then he looked back to Ronon, his eyes intensely serious. “Tell me one thing first.”
“Ok.”
“How far along is she?”
It wasn't at all the question Ronon expected, but really, he wasn't terribly surprised, and a little relieved that it had been asked. So he answered, “About two and a half months, now.”
Sheppard looked surprised now. “Wait. . .What the hell happened to her wanting to 'take things slow'? Isn't that about how long you guys have been together, or did I miss something more than I thought? ”
“Nah, that's about right,” Ronon took unusual interest in the cover of a nearby sudoku book as he scratched the sudden itch above his brow. “So, uh. . . when did you figure out that Jen was. . .?”
“Not as soon as I'd like,” he responded hastily. “Actually, I'm pretty pissed that I had to figure it out on my own in the first place.” His voice lowered, “as if Teyla wasn't enough.”
Ronon decided it was wise not to respond to that last statement.
John got up abruptly and walked over the the small refrigerator in the corner of his room. He got out two bottles of beer, and turning one toward Ronon, who declined. If Ronon was going to drink, he definitely wanted something stronger than the decidedly mild beverage the 'Lanteans seemed so fond of drinking. Sheppard shrugged and got both out anyway.
Ronon eyes followed John as he uncapped the drink and then strolled back over to the bed. John had settled back into his seat on the edge of the bed, and Ronon waited until his friend began taking a long drink of the beer before he spoke again.
“So, uh. . . she's pregnant with twins.”
Ronon failed to keep a straight face as he saw John jerk and choke before spraying beer halfway across the room.
Sheppard coughed and blinked at him with watery eyes. “You really don't know how to hold back from anything, do you?”
Ronon thoughts went to Jennifer then. He remembered their many afternoon naps, the softness of her body as she curled against him, the intoxicating scent of her hair as her head lay against his chest. She had no idea how incredibly sensual he found the soft sigh that escaped her lips whenever she settled against him. He couldn't tell her that while her presence calmed him, her gentle kisses at times nearly drove him insane with desire. . .
“Sometimes.” Yes. Ronon knew very much of what it meant to hold back, to reign in his emotions and primal urges, and it was always when he was with Jennifer.
John merely nodded at Ronon's simple, yet, decidedly loaded response to his rhetorical question.
After a moment, John leaned back, rubbing his hands together. “Ok, so. . . you want to know about Earth bonding rituals,” Sheppard paused to raise an uncertain eyebrow as he glanced over at Ronon. “You know, maybe I'm not the best person you should be asking about this.”
Ronon chuckled, knowing John was referring to his failed marriage. “Well, it was either you. . . or McKay.”
“Ah. Yeah. Good point,” John conceded.
Ronon listened with rapt attention as he learned from his friend the ways in which he could prepare to formally propose marriage to Dr. Jennifer Keller.
TBC.
Back Home - Pt. 7
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A/N: Well, I'm extremely glad and relieved to finally have that scene over with.
Credit goes totielanfor inspiration on Sheppard's choice of reading material. It seems that she had great ideas even when she's fighting boredom. Thanks to my beta journeyman07for letting me know my jokes weren't completely stupid (only mostly stupid). :)
Back Home - Pt. 5
“Hey, John,” Ronon peaked his head into John Sheppard's open doorway to see the man reclined on his bed with one leg hanging off the side of the mattress, his foot touching the floor. He wore a set of headphones and seemed to be very engaged in whatever he was reading in a book called—Ronon squinted to read the Earth language written across the portrait of a very attractive woman wearing a very revealing, form-fitting outfit—F H M.
He waited for Sheppard to look up before asking, “You got a minute?”
Dark brows lifted over curious green eyes as John sat up straighter on the bed. “Sure. I was just reading up on, uh. . .” John glanced back to the pages of the magazine before laying on his bedside table, “current events.”
Ronon raised a dubious eyebrow at John, moving from his spot in the doorway into the room, settling into a chair across from the bed.
“So,” John grunted a bit as he sat up fully, swing his other leg onto the floor as he came to face Ronon. “What's on your mind, big guy?”
Damn. This was gonna be hard. Ronon had actually gone over what he was going to say many times in his mind (too few, it seemed now), but now that he was sitting here in front of his comrade and friend, green eyes looking expectantly into his face, he felt suddenly, inexplicably anxious. Nervous.
“I'm going to earth with Teyla and Jennifer tomorrow.” He figured it best to start with something simple.
Sheppard merely nodded. “Yeah, I heard. Your interview's not for a few more days. You planning on doing some sightseeing?” Sheppard looked away now, pulling a bag of Bugles from behind him.
“Something like that,” Ronon responded, as he eyed the back of snacks. John held the open end of the bag out to Ronon, who proceed to take a handful. “Thanks,” he mumbled around a mouthful of salty goodness. Earth foods were awesome.
“Yeah. I don't know why I never remember not to offer you food that I actually want to have some of left over for myself,” Sheppard stated, looking regretfully into the nearly empty bag.
Ronon smirked at his friend. Though he loved to raid John's snack rations, that wasn't the purpose of this particular visit. “I'm going home with Jennifer to meet her father.”
“S'that right?” Sheppard eyebrows lifted and the tone of his voice feigned amusement, but his eyes betrayed no genuine surprise.
“Yeah,” Ronon answered. He hated asking for advice. Ronon acknowledged that John had been right about the importance of taking time to get to know a woman and find out what she liked. They had just had different ideas about appropriate ways to go about it. In the end, Ronon was glad that his series of non-accidental injuries resulting in trips the infirmary for no less than stitches had proved fruitful in the end. John, however, still thought he was crazy.
“Meeting the father's a big step. I guess you guys are pretty serious after all.”
“I told you we were,” Ronon countered, leaning forward in his chair.
“Yeah, you did. But, ya know, sometimes these things don't work out,” John shrugged. Ronon was rather certain that John was referring to whatever had happened to cause the breakup of his marriage.
Nevertheless, Ronon understood what John meant. He and Jennifer were from different worlds, literally and figuratively. She was a healer. He was a trained killer. It was her job to mend the ones that people like him had broken. But in her, he had found something better in himself. She accepted him for who he was, yet made him want to be more for her, if only because it was what she deserved.
“Well, it's working out,” Ronon said, finally.
“That's good to hear. I'm really happy for you, Ronon.”
Ronon couldn't help but smile at John's words. “Thanks.”
“So. . . is that all you wanted to tell me?”
“No.” Ronon looked down at his hands. He looked up into John's patient gaze. “I wanted to know about your bonding rituals on Earth.”
“'Bonding rituals'? Whoah. . . you're talking about marriage, right?” John was obviously taken off guard as he realized what Ronon was asking for him to explain.
Ronon nodded.
“Well, they vary. . . I mean. . . “ Sheppard looked away as if in concentration. Then he looked back to Ronon, his eyes intensely serious. “Tell me one thing first.”
“Ok.”
“How far along is she?”
It wasn't at all the question Ronon expected, but really, he wasn't terribly surprised, and a little relieved that it had been asked. So he answered, “About two and a half months, now.”
Sheppard looked surprised now. “Wait. . .What the hell happened to her wanting to 'take things slow'? Isn't that about how long you guys have been together, or did I miss something more than I thought? ”
“Nah, that's about right,” Ronon took unusual interest in the cover of a nearby sudoku book as he scratched the sudden itch above his brow. “So, uh. . . when did you figure out that Jen was. . .?”
“Not as soon as I'd like,” he responded hastily. “Actually, I'm pretty pissed that I had to figure it out on my own in the first place.” His voice lowered, “as if Teyla wasn't enough.”
Ronon decided it was wise not to respond to that last statement.
John got up abruptly and walked over the the small refrigerator in the corner of his room. He got out two bottles of beer, and turning one toward Ronon, who declined. If Ronon was going to drink, he definitely wanted something stronger than the decidedly mild beverage the 'Lanteans seemed so fond of drinking. Sheppard shrugged and got both out anyway.
Ronon eyes followed John as he uncapped the drink and then strolled back over to the bed. John had settled back into his seat on the edge of the bed, and Ronon waited until his friend began taking a long drink of the beer before he spoke again.
“So, uh. . . she's pregnant with twins.”
Ronon failed to keep a straight face as he saw John jerk and choke before spraying beer halfway across the room.
Sheppard coughed and blinked at him with watery eyes. “You really don't know how to hold back from anything, do you?”
Ronon thoughts went to Jennifer then. He remembered their many afternoon naps, the softness of her body as she curled against him, the intoxicating scent of her hair as her head lay against his chest. She had no idea how incredibly sensual he found the soft sigh that escaped her lips whenever she settled against him. He couldn't tell her that while her presence calmed him, her gentle kisses at times nearly drove him insane with desire. . .
“Sometimes.” Yes. Ronon knew very much of what it meant to hold back, to reign in his emotions and primal urges, and it was always when he was with Jennifer.
John merely nodded at Ronon's simple, yet, decidedly loaded response to his rhetorical question.
After a moment, John leaned back, rubbing his hands together. “Ok, so. . . you want to know about Earth bonding rituals,” Sheppard paused to raise an uncertain eyebrow as he glanced over at Ronon. “You know, maybe I'm not the best person you should be asking about this.”
Ronon chuckled, knowing John was referring to his failed marriage. “Well, it was either you. . . or McKay.”
“Ah. Yeah. Good point,” John conceded.
Ronon listened with rapt attention as he learned from his friend the ways in which he could prepare to formally propose marriage to Dr. Jennifer Keller.
TBC.
Back Home - Pt. 7
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A/N: Well, I'm extremely glad and relieved to finally have that scene over with.
Credit goes to
tielanfor inspiration on Sheppard's choice of reading material. It seems that she had great ideas even when she's fighting boredom. Thanks to my beta journeyman07for letting me know my jokes weren't completely stupid (only mostly stupid). :). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-06-15 07:28 am (UTC)He took it rather well I think, especially since he figured it out on his own before anyone said anything to him.
I think you captured both characters really well in this chapter. John's voice was pretty clear, and I suppose his reaction wasn't too surprising considering. As for Ronon, you did very well on him, too. He may not be very talkative, but his timing is perfect:
Ronon failed to keep a straight face as he saw John jerk and choke before spraying beer halfway across the room.
This made me laugh...and then made me laugh some more...
I can't wait for more.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-15 01:45 pm (UTC)That's originally how I imagined the scene playing out as well, but, over time, my view of it changed. Yeah, we've seen John get angry, but I've also noticed that whenever he's upset, he reigns it in pretty well, and does a lot of seething under the surface. So, since he already figured out Jen's condition, he had a little bit of time to think about the situation and how best to respond so as not to alienate his friend, Ronon. Because the two have become pretty close.
So, I'm glad my portrayal of both men came over well for you [since you seem to be so disccerining. ;)] Glad to make you laugh. :)
no subject
Date: 2008-08-24 03:58 pm (UTC)